Lifting device for plumbing fixtures



July 26, 1966 w. E. LYNN 3,262,590

LIFTING DEVICE FOR PLUMBING FIXTURES Filed July 28, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 William E. Lynn N ENTOR.

July 26, 1966 w. E. LYNN LIFTING DEVICE FOR PLUMBING FIXTURES 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 28. 1964 Fig. 3

William E. Lynn INVENTOR.

W 5 Attorneys United States Patent 3,262,590 LIFTING DEVICE FOR PLUMBING FIXTURES William E. Lynn, Washington, D.C., assignor 0f fifty percent to Harry A. Downard, Alexandria, Va. Filed July 28, 1964, Ser. N0. 335,581 6 Claims. (Cl. 214-494) This invention relates to the handling of articles such as plumbing fixtures and more particularly to a device for raising, lowering and repositioning plumbing fixtures such as toilet bowl commodes.

The apparatus of the present invention is especially designed to facilitate the repair, replacement or installation of relatively heavy plumbing fixtures which must be carefully removed or accurately located when installed. It is therefor a primary object of the present invention to provide a plumbing fixture handling device by means of which the plumbing fixture may be raised or lowered while being held in a stabilized position so that it may be accurately aligned during installation or carefully withdrawn from an installation for repair or replacement.

In accordance With the foregoing object, the device of the present invention features a wheeled supporting frame, carriage or dolly having spaced leg assemblies which straddle the plumbing fixture to be handled and mounting a suspended jack mechanism engageable with the plumbing fixture for suspension thereof by the wheeled frame in a stabilized condition. The vertically movable load engaging member of the jack mechanism is therefore provided with at least three load engaging elements whereby the load to be elevated by the jack mechanism may dimensionally extend'beyond the sup porting frame and yet be suspended thereby in a stabilized position relative to the supporting frame.

As an additional object of the present invention, the wheeled supporting frame is provided with extensible legs whereby the plumbing fixture when supported in suspended relation by the wheeled frame, may be supported in a pivotally displaced position with the wheeled frame in order to facilitate repairs.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide a wheeled frame assembly supporting a lifting jack having special rim engaging facilities for stabilized support of a plumbing fixture in order to accurately lower the fixture into proper position.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

3,262,590 Patented July 26, 1966 form of a standard type of toilet bowl commode having a base flange 14 :by means of which the fixture is secured in proper position to the floor. The device 10 is therefore positioned in straddling relation to the plumb-ing fixture and is adapted to engage the fixture on its peripheral rim 16 forming the opening for the toilet bowl over which a lifting jack mechanism generally denoted by reference numeral 18, is supported in suspended relation by the wheeled frame assembly 20 of the fixture handling device.

The wheeled supporting frame assembly 20 includes a pair of spaced leg assemblies 22 which are interconnected in spaced relation to each other by a supporting cross member 24 from which the jack mechanism 18 is suspended. Each of the leg assemblies 22 includes a pair of downwardly diverging leg members 26 which may be pivotally connected at their upper ends to the connecting support member 24 and held apart by a predetermined amount a the lower ends thereof for spaced support of the load by means of a pair of pivotally interconnected foldable brace elements 28. Connected to the lower ends of the leg members 26, are caster wheels assemblies 30 providing wheeled support for the frame assembly in straddling relation to the plumbing fixture '12. It Will of course be appreciated, that other wheeled frame arrangements may be utilized in accordance with the principles of the present invention whereby suspended support for a lifting jack mechanism may be provided so that the jack mechanism may be properly positioned over the plumbing fixture.

The jack mechanism 18 comprises a tubular jack housing 32 which is fixedly secured to the connecting support FIGURE 1 is a front elevational view of the fixture handling device of the present invention.

FIGURE 2 is a top plan view of the device illustrated in FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged sectional view taken subtantially through a plane indicated by section line 3-3 in FIGURE 2, showing the device in operative engagement with a plumbing fixture.

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged partial sectional view of a portion of the jack mechanism.

FIGURE 5 is a sectional view taken substantially through a plane indicated by section line 5-5 in FIG- URE' 4.

FIGURES 6, 7 and 8 are simplified side elevational views of the fixture handling device and a fixture in diiferent operational positions.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, the fixturehandling device as illustrated in FIGURES 1, 2 and 3 is generally denoted by reference numeral 10 and is shown in association with a plumbing fixture 12 in the member 24 intermediate the leg assemblies 22 in any suitable fashion as rfor example by connecting brackets '34 more clearly shown in FIGURE 3. The tubular jack housing projects upwardly through an opening in the member 24 so that the upper end portion 36 of a jack screw member 38 may project and be secured as by a cotter pin 40 to a jack actuating handle 42. The tubular jack housing will therefore slidably mount a vertically movable load engaging member 44. The load engaging member 44 is therefore vertically displaced by rotation of the jack screw member 38 and toward this end, an internally threaded nut member 46 is threadedly engaged with the screw member and mounted within a cut out portion 48 of the load engaging member 44 in order to effect vertical movement thereof along the longitudinal axis of the screw member 38. The vertically movable member 44 is therefore guided for vertical movement laterally through a lower projecting portion 52 of the vertically movable member 44. The rim engaging rod 50 is loosely secured in place by cotter pins 54 so that it has sufficient play for seated engagement with the undersurface 56 of the rim 16 as more clearly seen in FIG- U-RE 3. The length of the rim engaging rod 50 is dimensioned so that when centrally positioned within the opening of the bowl portion of the fixture, it may be lowered by the jack mechanism below the rim 16 and thereafter displaced by movement of the wheeled frame assembly 12 rearwardly in order to bring the rod end portions under the rim. The jack mechanism may then be actuated by rotation of the handle 42 so as to vertically displace the movable member 44 upwardly bringing the rim engaging rod 50 into engagement with the undersurface 56 of the rim.

A second load engaging element is provided in the form -of-an extensible brace assembly 58. The extensible brace assembly includes a tubular member 60 pivotally connected by pivot pin 62 to a pivot bracket 64 secured to the vertically movable member 44 for displacement between the shield members 66 secured as by welding to the jack housing 32. A rim engaging element 68 is slida'bly received within the tubular member 60 from which it may be adjustably extended into engagement with a front portion of the rim 16 as more clearly shown in FIG- URE 3. In this rim engaging position, the rim engaging element 68 may be locked relative to the tubular member 60 by any suitable means such as the setscrew 70.

Once the vertically movable member 44 of the jack mechanism is engaged with the rim 16 at spaced locations by means of the rim engaging rod 50 and the extensible brace assembly 58, it may be firmly stabilized in position by means of an elongated rim engaging bar 72 which extends laterally beyond the rod 50 in substantial parallel spaced relation thereto for engagement with the top surface 74 of the rim 16. The rim engaging bar is adjustably positioned relative to the vertically movable member 44 on the side of the longitudinal axis of the jack mechanism opposite the rod 50 by means of an adjustment screw 76 threadedly received through extension 78 secured as by welding to an upper portion of the vertically movable member 44. The upper end of the adjustment screw is therefore provided with an actuating handle 80 while the lower end thereof is connected to the rim engaging bar 72 by means of a universal pivot joint 82. The vertically adjustable rim engaging bar 72 therefore constitutes a final locking device to hold the fixture in stabilized position when elevated or lowered by means of the jack mechanism.

As more clearly seen in FIGURE 6, the device may be wheeled into straddling relation to the fixture 12 and the load engaging elements of the jack mechanism locked to the rim portion of the fixture as aforementioned. After removal of the fasteners which secure the plumbing fixture to the fixed surfaces such as the floor, it may be elevated off the floor by actuation of the jack mechanism by the handle 42 located above the wheeled frame assembly 12. In this manner, the plumbing fixture may be carefully removed from its installation without damage to the projecting portion of the drainpipe 84 for example as illustrated in FIGURE 7. In a position stabilized on the wheeled frame assembly 20, the plumbing fixture '12 may be wheeled away from its installational location for any desired purpose or wheeled back to its installational location and accurately aligned so that it may be lowered by the jack mechanism into place. The plumbing fixture handling device may also be provided with a pair of extensible leg assemblies 86 which are pivotally mounted on one of the leg members 26 of each of the leg assemblies 22. The fixture may be elevated I slightly off the floor by means of the jack mechanism after it is secured thereto as aforementioned and then pivotally displaced about a forward end 88 of its base portion 14 as illustrated in FIGURE 8 to a position exposing the bottom of the fixture. The fixture and the supporting frame assembly 20 to which it is secured may be supported in this pivoted position by extension of the extensible leg assemblies 86 into engagement with the floor. Supported in this pivotal position, repairs may be made to the plumbing fixturefrom the bottom thereof should this be called for as for example when foreign matter has become lodged in the outlet passage adjacent to the connection to the drainpipe 84.

From the foregoing description, the construction and utility of the fixture handling device of the present invention will be apparent. The device of the present invention will be particularly useful in connection with relatively heavy fixtures which must be accurately positioned and are considerably bulky making handling very difficult. It will therefore be appreciated, that the device of the present invention will facilitate plumbing repairs and avoid breakage and improper installation of plumbing fixtures as well as to reduce installational time.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A device for handling a plumbing fixture or the like having a peripheral rim, comprising a wheeled supporting frame adapted to straddle said fixture, an elevating mechanism supported by the frame above the rim of the fixture including a movable load engaging member, a rim engaging element mounted by the load engaging member displaceable by the elevating mechanism and the frame into engagement with the rim, extensible brace means pivotally mounted by the load engaging member for engagement with the rim in horizontally spaced relation to the rim engaging element, and lock means adjustably mounted by the load engaging member for engagement with the rim in vertically spaced relation to the rim engaging element to stabilize the fixture during elevation and lowering by the elevating mechanism relative to the supporting frame.

2. The combination of claim 1 wherein said supporting frame comprises, a pair of foldable leg assemblies having spaced caster wheels thereon, a load suspending member interconnecting said leg assemblies in spaced relation to each other for straddling said fixture, said elevating mechanism being mounted by the load suspending member with the load engaging member suspended therebelow.

3. The combination of claim 2 wherein said lock means comprises, a vertically adjustable screw member mounted by the load engaging member above the extensible brace means and in horizontally spaced relation to the rim engaging element, an elongated bar displaceable by the screw member into engagement with the rim, and a universal joint connecting the bar to a lower end of said screw member.

4. The combination of claim 3 including extensible leg means pivotally mounted by the frame for supporting the fixture in a pivotally displaced position with the supporting frame.

5. The combination of claim 1 wherein said lock means comprises, a vertically adjustable screw member mounted by the load engaging member above the extensible brace means and in horizontally spaced relation to the rim engaging element, an elongated bar displaceable by the screw member into engagement with the rim, and a universal joint connecting the bar to a lower end of said screw member.

6. The combination of claim 1 including extensible leg means pivotally mounted by the frame for support-' ing the fixture in a pivotally displaced position with the supporting frame.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,101,598 6/1914 Weinke. 2,545,021 3/1951 Coupland 214-654 2,571,572 10/1951 Harmon. 2,596,477 5/1952 Prischmann 214652 2,893,578 7/1959 Paul 214-394 X 2,984,376 5/1961 Nielsen 214658 MARVIN A. CHAMPION, Primary Examiner. 

1. A DEVICE FOR HANDLING A PLUMBING FIXTURE OR THE LIKE HAVING A PERIPHERAL RIM, COMPRISING A WHEELED SUPPORTING FRAME ADAPTED TO STRADDLE SAID FIXTURE, AN ELEVATING MECHANISM SUPPORTED BY THE FRAME ABOVE THE RIM OF THE FIXTURE INCLUDING A MOVABLE LOAD ENGAGING MEMBER, A RIM ENGAGING ELEMENT MOUNTED BY THE LOAD ENGAGING MEMBER DISPLACEABLE BY THE ELEVATING MECHANISM AND THE FRAME INTO ENGAGEMENT WITH THE RIM, EXTENSIBLE BRACE MEANS PIVOTALLY MOUNTED BY THE LOAD ENGAGING MEMBER FOR ENGAGEMENT WITH THE RIM IN HORIZONTALLY SPACED RELATION TO THE RIM ENGAGING ELEMENT, AND LOCK MEANS ADJUSTABLE MOUNTED BY THE LOAD ENGAGING MEMBER FOR ENGAGEMENT WITH THE RIM IN VERTICALLY SPACED RELATION TO THE RIM ENGAGING ELEMENT TO STABILIZE THE FIXTURE DURING ELEVATION AND LOWERING BY THE ELEVATING MECHANISM RELATIVE TO THE SUPPORTING FRAME. 